Gocart-suitcase



W. H. LESTER.

. GOCART SUITCASE. APPLICATION FILED 001.25.

Patented Aug; 3, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

w. H. L-ESTER.

GOCART SUITCASE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 25, I9I7.

1,348,723'. Patented Aug. 3, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2i the device is provided PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM HENRY LESTER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

GOGART-SUITCASE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 3, 1920.

Application filed October 25, 1917. Serial No. 198,437.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that T, VILLIAM run, a citizen of the United States of Amen ica, residing at New York, in the county of Kings, State of New York, have invented a new and useful Combination Gocart-Suitcase, of which the following is a specification. V

The object of the invention seeks the provision of a device of the above-mentioned character which may be used alternately as a go-cart and as a suit case. To this end with wheels which are journaled on suitable supports and the supports themselves are ad ustably mounted on the case which constitutes the body of the o-cart when the invention is used as the latter. The wheels and their supports as well as the other parts necessary to the device when uselas a go-cart are adapted for folding within the case so as to be out of the way when the invention is usedas a suit case.

The invention is illustrated and described in a specific embodiment, to which, however, it is not to be restricted. The right is reserved to make such changes or alterations as the actual reduction of practice may suggest, in so far as suchchanges or alterations may be compatible in spirit with the subjoined claims.

The same numerals of reference designate the same parts throughout the several figures of the drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invention showing the same as it appears when used as a suit case and when the go-cart mechanism is in folded position.-

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the invention used as a go-cart.

Fig. 3 is a rear elevational'view of the structure shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. a is a center vertical sectional view through the structure shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is'a section on the line 55 of Fig. 4:.

Referring to the drawings, the invention is shown as comprising a case 1 which simulates the shape of the conventional suit case. This case is closed on one side by a cover member which consists of the two hingedly connected elements 2 and 3, the latter being hingedly connected to the case 1 at one end and the former hingedly connected to the latter. Case 1 is provided with a bottom HENRY Lns tance permitted by member the main portion of which forms a permanent part of the case but the portion '5 of this bottom is hingedly connected to the portion at as indicated at 6, that end of the portion 5 remote from the hinges 6 having attached to it a flexible member 7 which is secured to the inner wall of one end of the case 1. Thus when the device is used as a go-cart, the section of the bottom may swing downwardly at its free end the disthe flexible member 7, thereby providing a place for the feet of the child carried in the device.

Between the bottom 4; andthat side opposite the cover member the folding running gear of the device is carried when not in use.

"This running gear comprises two wheels 8 which are journaled one on a supporting member 9 and the other on a supporting member 10. -At their upper ends these two supporting members are hingedly connected, the former to an car 11 and the latter to an car 12. The car 12 is fixedly attached upon the inside of the casing 1 below the bottom 4 and at a selected point between the two ends of the casing and it is obvious that the support 10 which is connected with it may be swung to a position perpendicular with the bottom a or folded down against the latter.

The ear 11 carries a stud 13 the threaded end of which receives the nut 14. This stud passes through a slot 15 formed in the long side of the casing 1 opposite that to which the ear 12 is attached. It will be observed that this slot 15 extends from a point di 'rectly opposite the ear 12 to a point not far from that end of the casing 1 adjacent to which the free end of "the section 5 of the bottom stands. -t is apparent that this ear 11 can be moved longitudinally along the side to which it is attached because of the slot 15. It is apparent also that the support 9 may be moved to a position perpendicular with the bottom 4 or laid down against the latter but it is necessary when causing it to lie against the bottom to move the ear 11 toward that end of the slot 15 remote from the end opposite the ear 12. Then the two supports 9 and 10 may be laid down against the bottom whereupon there will be no interference between the two wheels 8.

When the two supports 9 and 10 are in the perpendicular positions referred to, it

.. which is offset at prises a cross brace 16 .tached at one end to the support 10, as 1nand its attendant parts opposite the ear 12 and its attendant parts and when the two supports connected with these ears are disposed perpendicularly to the bottom ft, means is provided for retaining them 1n such vertical position and this means comwhich is hingedly atdicatedat 17 and which is provided with a clamp 18 tachable engagement with the support 9. It will be observed that in operative positions the supports 9 and 10 lie against their irespective ears and the attachment of the cross brace 16 in the manner shown in Fig. o retains them in this position, the construc tion shown in the drawings clearly illustrating-how this is accomplished.

At that end of the casing 1 adjacent which the section 5 of the bottom is carried, there are provided a pair of caster wheels 19 each of which is rotatably mounted at the end of a leg 20, the two legs being interconnected by a cross brace 21 and hingedly attached one on either side of the casing 1. The legs 20, thecross piece 21 and the rollers 19 constitute a wheeled support which is adapted to fold up against .the bottom 4 or to be extended to have the wheels contact with the ground when the wheel supports 9 and 10 are in extended position. When the wheel supports 9 and 10 are in folded position, the section 5 of the bottom is raised to the plane of the main portion of the bottom and the support carrying the caster wheels 19 is folded down against the wheel 8 carried on the support 9. This arrangement is clearly illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings. I

Pivotally connected with the section 2fof the cover adjacent the said sections free end, there are the bars 22 and these bars 22 are also pivotally connected with the casing 1, as shown in Fig. 2, so that when the cover is raised the section 3 may form a back and the section 2 a cover the for ward end of which is supported by the bars 22. vides for closing the cover when the sections 2 and 3 are brought into the same plane, the bars 22 folding down within the casing.

A combined handle and locking member 23 is provided for securing the two sections of'the'cover in closed position when the device is used as a suit case and for pushing the device when it is used as a go-cart. This element 23 is made preferably of a flat bar which is rectangular in cross section and a certain to provide a shoulder 24. At one end it is hingedly connected to the casing adjacent formed atthe other end for de- "are journaled, the 1 said supports hingedly mounted with reference to the eas- Obviously' this construction propair of point in its length 1t carries a cross bar 25 and a swinging clasp 26 designed for engagement with a lock 27. At the back or bottom edge of the casing there is carried a brace member 28 ,which'is hingedly connected with the casing so that it may be swung up against the bottom 4 or swung. around 'to the position shown in Figs. 4: and 2.- This bracing element is designed when the device is used as a go-cart to have its free end abut the shoulder 24 and to be secured to the combined handle and locking member 23, by a bolt or other suitable fastener 29.

A U-shaped support 30 is attached to the casing l to the rear of the Wheels 8, the legs of this support being pivotally secured to thecasing so that the support may be exfolded down against one wheel 8 and its attendant support 9,'as shown in F ig. 3.

From the foregoing description and the accompanying drawing, it is believed that a clear enough understanding of the invention is to be had to render further description unnecessary.

The invention having'been described what is claimed as new and useful is:

1. In a device of the kind described, a casing, a folding cover member therefor, a pair of wheels, supports on which the wheels being ing, and means for shifting the position of one ofthe hinged supports, whereby the two wheels may be axially alined or thrown out of axial alinement to permit the one being folded down beside the other. 1

2. In a device of the kind described, a casing, a folding cover membertherefor, a pair of wheels, supports on which the wheels are journaled, the saidsupports being hingedly mounted with reference to the casing, a detachable cross brace enga ing the two supports, and means for shi ting the position of one of the hinged supports, whereby the two wheels may be axially alined or thrown out of axial alinement to permit the one being folded down beside the other.

3. In a device of the kind described, a casing, a folding cover member therefor, a

are journaled, a pair of cars to which the supports are hingedly attached,one of the ears being permanently attached to the casing and the other being adjustably secured thereto so that the two supports may be positioned to axially aline the wheels or to throw them out of such axial alinement to permit them being folded down side by side, a cross brace hingedly attached to one support and having a clamp ,detachably engaging the other support whereby the two supports may wheels, supports on which the wheels.

tional foldable cover member for the casing hingedly attached to the latter, a combined handle and locking member hingedly attached to the cover member and foldable down against the latter When it is in folded position, the said member being positionable to form a handle, and a brace member hingedly attached to the casing and engagrable with the handle member to hold it in the position where it performs the function of a handle.

\YILLIALNI HENRY LESTER. 

